United States v. Shane Mariano

636 F. App'x 532
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
DecidedJanuary 25, 2016
Docket15-10694
StatusUnpublished

This text of 636 F. App'x 532 (United States v. Shane Mariano) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Shane Mariano, 636 F. App'x 532 (11th Cir. 2016).

Opinion

PER CURIAM:

Shane Mariano appeals his conviction and resulting sentence for being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). Mariano asserts his conviction should be vacated because: the district court erroneously admitted eyewitness testimony and DNA evidence at his trial; the district court erred by refusing to instruct the jury on cross-racial identification; and there was insufficient evidence to support his conviction. Mariano also challenges his sentence, asserting the district court: erroneously sentenced him pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 924(e)(1) of the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA); improperly calculated his base offense level under the Sentencing Guidelines; and imposed an unreasonable sentence on him. We hold that the district court did not commit any reversible trial error. However, we conclude that the court erred in sentencing Mariano pursuant to § 924(e)(1). Accordingly, we affirm Mariano’s conviction, but vacate his sentence and remand for resentencing.

I. BACKGROUND

A. Trial

In 2014, Mariano was indicted on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of § 922(g)(1). At his trial, the prosecution argued that Mariano threatened a cab driver with a silver pistol on January 17, 2014. In support thereof, the prosecution proffered, inter alia, testimony from the cab driver, testimony from one of the police officers who apprehended Mariano, and DNA evidence related to the silver pistol.

1. Summary of the Cab Driver’s Testimony

At approximately 1:00 a.m. on January 17, someone driving a white Ford Mustang *535 began honking at the cab driver while he was dropping off a customer. After the cab driver received his fare from the customer and drove to the nearest intersection, the white Mustang pulled up next to him and the Mustang’s driver began cursing at him. The cab driver ignored the white Mustang and continued driving. But, at a red light, the white Mustang pulled up to him again. The Mustang’s driver exited the Mustang, walked to the cab, and began banging on the cab’s window. While banging on the window, the Mustang’s driver threatened to shoot the cab driver. The Mustang’s driver then returned to the Mustang and retrieved a silver pistol, which he pointed at the cab driver. After the light turned green, the cab driver drove away and proceeded to search for police officers.

The cab driver found police officers at a local restaurant and informed them about his altercation with the Mustang’s driver. The cab driver told the officers that the Mustang was white and had a Florida license plate. He also reported to the officers that the Mustang had an Italian flag near the dashboard. The cab driver described the Mustang’s driver as Caucasian with short hair and a clean'shaven face. In addition, he stated that the Mustang’s driver was wearing a gray sweater. The officers then told the cab driver to stay nearby until they located the Mustang. Shortly thereafter, the officers directed the cab driver to a gas station. The officers had an individual handcuffed at the gas station. The white Mustang was also at the gas station. The officers asked the cab driver if the handcuffed individual was the Mustang’s driver, and the cab driver responded affirmatively. 1 The individual was Mariano. 2 ,

2. Summary of Apprehending Police Officer’s Testimony

Shortly after receiving the cab driver’s description of the Mustang and its driver, the police officer found a white Mustang at a gas station and saw an individual fitting the description provided by the cab driver leaving the gas station. The officer requested assistance and for the cab driver to come to the gas station. After the cab driver identified Mariano as the individual who had threatened him with a silver pistol, the officer searched Mariano’s person. The officer found ear keys for a Ford Mustang in Mariano’s pockets. The keys matched the white Mustang parked at the gas station. The officer and another officer then searched the Mustang and found a silver pistol. The Mustang also had an Italian flag hanging from the rearview mirror near the dashboard.

3. DNA Evidence Related to the Silver Pistol

At trial, the prosecution proffered an expert witness to testify about DNA evidence obtained from the silver pistol. The evidence was derived from testing done by the police department’s crime lab. The results of the testing were inconclusive— the pistol had a mixture of DNAs on it. However, according to the expert witness, Mariano’s DNA could not be excluded as a possible “contributor” to the mixture. 3

*536 B. Sentencing

The district court determined Mariano has a base offense level of 24 under § 2K2.1 of the Guidelines. But, the court enhanced Mariano’s sentence pursuant to § 924(e)(1), finding Mariano qualifies for the enhancement because of his prior convictions for third degree burglary under New York Penal Law § 140.20, second degree assault under New York Penal Law § 120.05(02), and resisting an officer with violence under Florida Statutes § 843.01. Ultimately, the court sentenced Mariano to 18 years’ imprisonment.

II. DISCUSSION

A. Challenges to Conviction

Mariano challenges his conviction on a number of grounds. He asserts the district court committed trial error by admitting the cab driver’s testimony, not excluding the DNA evidence related to the silver pistol, and refusing to provide a jury instruction on cross-racial identification. According to Mariano, these various errors, individually and cumulatively, require us to vacate his sentence. Mariano also contends his conviction must be vacated due to insufficient evidence. We address each argument in turn.

1. The District Court Did Not Err by Admitting the Cab Driver’s Testimony.

Mariano asserts the cab driver’s testimony was derived from an unconstitutional, unduly suggestive out-of-court identification — the show-up at the gas station. 4 As such, he claims the district court erred in allowing the testimony.

Typically, the constitutionality of an out-of-court identification is reviewed de novo. See United States v. Elliot, 732 F.3d 1307, 1309 (11th Cir.2013) (per curiam). However, we review constitutional objections not raised before the district court, such as Mariano’s challenge to the cab driver’s identification, for plain error. See United States v. Moriarty, 429 F.3d 1012, 1018 (11th Cir.2005) (per curiam).

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Bluebook (online)
636 F. App'x 532, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-shane-mariano-ca11-2016.